How to Build an Outdoor Plant Holder

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

circular saw
power miter saw
measuring square
socket set
hammer
(2)4inch lag screws
(1)6inch carriage bolt w/washer, lock washer and nut
(2)10inch carriage bolts w/washers, lock washers and nuts
tape measure
pencil

Step 1

The three major pieces of the planter are: 1)one 4ft. 4x4, 2)one 30 inch 4x4, 3)one 26 inch 4x4 that is mitered 45 degrees on both ends.
Step 2

Take your power miter saw and turn the blade to 32 degrees. Place the 4ft. 4x4 onto the miter saw bed - we want to bevel the top edge of the 4x4 for a decorative effect - and saw a bevel into the top edge. Don't move the 4x4, make a pencil mark on the miter bed (circled in picture) and a mark on the 4x4 that lines up with the mark on the miter bed. Now you can remove the 4x4 and draw locater lines around the 4x4. Line the locater lines up with the pencil mark on the bed to make an identical bevel on all four sides.
Step 3

Here is a close up of the beveled cap. The angle of the bevel can be any angle you prefer - whatever your aesthetics dictate.
Step 4

Next, we're going to make a notch that will receive the 30 inch arm of the plant holder. Take the 4ft. 4x4 and measure down about 8 inches from the beveled top and take a small 4x4 scrap piece and transfer the width of that scrap piece to the 4ft. 4x4. Mark the area to remove material with an 'X'.
Step 5

Set the depth of your circular saw to 1 inch and run the saw through the area marked with and 'X'. This notch will serve as a ledge for the horizontal 30 inch piece to sit in.
Step 6

With a hammer knock out the teeth that the cuts made and clean up the notch with a chisel.
Step 7

Here's a close up of the cleaned up notch.
Step 8

Try a dry fit to make sure the fit is snug. Adjustments to width can be made with a chisel to widen the notch, or use shims if the notch is too loose.
Step 9

The 4ft. vertical piece and the 30 inch horizontal piece will be perpendicular to each other. Now place the brace at a 45 degree angle approximately 1 inch in from the edge of each piece.
Step 10

Don't move the brace once you have the proper placement. Now trace the brace end onto the horizontal and vertical pieces. These notches will be all that's holding the brace in place.
Step 11

Use a square to transfer the lines across the face of the 4x4 where the material will be removed. Like in step five use a circular saw to cut 1 inch deep cuts at an angle, approximately 32 degrees - you'll need to go slow here and make sure you don't cut too shallow an angle, you want to make sure this is a very snug fit.
Step 12

Here I've cut the notch a little short of the lines I drew, in order to get a tight fit - I'll make adjustments with a chisel until I get the perfect fit.
Step 13

Here I'm cleaning up the notch, checking and rechecking the fit - take it slow, you can always take more off, but you can't put anything back.
Step 14

Perform steps 11 through 13 on the 30 inch horizontal piece, taking it slow and being careful you'll get a perfect fit. If the fit isn't perfect you can use a finishing nail to keep the brace from moving side to side. The weight of the planters will wedge the brace in securely.
Step 15

In order to secure the 30 inch arm to the 4ft. vertical piece I counter sunk two holes for a couple of 4 inch galvanized lag screws with washers.
Step 16

I decided to make this a 3 plant, plant holder. The cross piece I added is a 26.5 inches long 4x4. In order to center it to the horizontal arm I measured 13.25 inches to center and drew a line. On the end of the 30 inch horizontal piece I just drew lines from corner to corner then a line straight up through the center. Line up the lines and your centered.
Step 17

Perform the same steps as steps 5 through 7, the notch will be the width of a 4x4 and 1 inch deep.
Step 18

My helper

Next I counter sunk and drilled through the cross piece and horizontal arm, securing the pieces together with a 6 inch carriage bolt, washer, lock washer and nut.
Step 19

The completed project. I added blocking between the studs in the shed then drilled through the plant holder and blocking. I used a couple of 10 inch carriage bolts to secure the planter to the blocking, one securing the top the other securing the bottom of the planter. Screw in some heavy duty hooks and your outdoor plant holder is done.

Comments

redar said

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on 8/23/2009 Good 5* article and what a great idea. Thank you

lilolladystuff said

on 7/13/2009 Great detail and lots of photos. Thank you.

sugaredup said

on 5/21/2009 Great for my hanging tomato plants! Thanks for the detailed article. 5*

jessert said

on 5/21/2009 Hi basilleaves, I used a 2 1/2 inch hole saw to make the opening for the planter. You can use anything to make the hole, just so long as the hole is 2 1/2 inches in diameter.